MCCARTHY, Richard W. 1915-2007

MCCARTHY

Posted By: K. Kittleson
Date: 6/3/2007 at 14:25:32

Richard W. McCarthy, 91, of New Haven, Iowa, died Monday, May 28, 2007, at the Mitchell County Regional Health Center in Osage, Iowa.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Friday, June 1, 2007, at St. Peter's Catholic Church in New Haven, with Rev. Ray E. Atwood officiating. Burial was in St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in New Haven with military honors at the grave by Osage American Legion Post 278.

Richard was the second child born to William and Mary (Brandt) McCarthy; he was born on November 29, 1915, near New Haven, Iowa. He was baptized and made his First Communion at St. Peter's Catholic Church in New Haven. Rich attended the Mauser country school until age ten, when he started riding his pony to St. Mary's Academy at New Haven. He graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1933, one of a class of four. After graduation, he worked at various farm jobs, including helping with filling silo and threshing, working for $1.50 a day. Trapping was another source of income, as well as helping his father on the farm. In August of 1942, Rich was drafted into the U.S. Army. After basic training he was assigned to the arsenal at Pine Bluffs, Arkansas. Rich was given the job of courier. His duties included delivering inter-area mail four times a day for seven months.

Rumor had it that the WAAC's were coming. When they arrived, he lost his job as a courier. He was then assigned to the gas yard at the arsenal, where three kinds of poisonous gas were made. It was his job to drive truck, hauling samples of gas in steel tubes. Rich was later assigned a "cushy" job (as he described it) working in a photo lab where he was one of three men trained to run a 35 millimeter training film for 900 troops. The arsenal employed 6000 persons, many of them civilians. In March of 1944, he was assigned to the arsenal at Huntsville, Alabama, where he acted as a security guard, checking employees on the rotating shift of eight hours on, 24 hours off. He was there until his discharge on February 8, 1946. Rich attained the rank of Corporal in the U.S. Army.

After his discharge, he rented the Plunkett farm and raised some hogs. When a gentleman from away bought the Plunkett farm, Rich joined his brother, Dan, in the farming operation at the home place and remained as such until his retirement. After retirement, he helped his brother, Jim, from time to time in the office at New Haven Livestock and Feed.

Rich lived with his parents, Bill and Mary, at the home in New Haven, which became his home after the death of both parents. Rich resided at the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center for the past three years and seven months. He was a devoted son and neighbor. He was always willing to help a neighbor on the farm at the drop of a hat. Rich was a 70 year member of the Catholic Order of Foresters Court No. 833, and was a life long member of St. Peter's Catholic Church at New Haven. He was proud of his service to his country and the fact that he had 62 continuous years of membership in the Osage American Legion Post 278.

Rich is survived by one sister, Cae (Bill) Hatton of Denver, Colorado; sisters-in-law, Betty McCarthy of Osage, Rosemary McCarthy, who resides at the Osage Rehabilitation and Health Care Center; nieces and nephews, Ron, Dennis, and John Slater; Linda Hagen, Carmen Johansen, and Karen Heimer; Mike, Terry, Dennis and Mark McCarthy; Michelle Ashby, Mark Hatton and Marla Hawkins; and a special friend, Kevin Jahnel, who always referred to Rich as his uncle.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Dan and Jim McCarthy; a sister, Mercedes Slater; three nephews, Jim, Bill, and Gary Slater; and a niece, Anne Elizabeth McCarthy.

Arrangements were by Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, Osage, Iowa -- (641) 732-3706